Rose gold jewelry is appearing on the scene this year as the latest backdrop to set off diamonds and gemstones with spectacular style and a unique touch. Diamonds and other gemstones have always sparkled set in more traditional yellow gold or white gold, but in recent years, and this year in particular, rose gold has become the choice of jewelry lovers everywhere. The unusual properties of rose gold jewelry make it a great eye-catcher as well as setting off your finest gemstones to their best advantage. When shopping for new jewelry this year, most won't be finished until they have something in rose gold.



There is no such thing as pure gold jewelry. Pure gold is much too soft for jewelry making. It would bend, break and twist out of shape. Although it is mostly gold, there are alloys (other metals) added to the gold to give it strength, including silver, nickel and copper. These other metals affect the color of the gold. Rose gold has a higher copper content, giving the gold a warm tint that can range from a soft pink to a deep, glowing red depending on how much copper is used. The most popular rose gold jewelry is a warm, blush pink hue.

You may sometimes hear rose gold jewelry referred to as Russian gold because it was so popular in Russia in the 1800's, but that popularity soon swept over Europe and the United States. In the Victorian era, most women wanted an engagement ring of rose gold from their fiance. The rosy color was seen as more romantic and elegant.

Today there are many reasons to love rose gold jewelry. For one thing, rose gold has rich warmth to it that suits any skin tone, warming up skin and imparting a healthy glow when warm next to the face. The soft pink is universally flattering to every complexion, so it is ideal for chains or pendants.

Rose gold jewelry is also great for mounting gemstones. The rich color is the perfect foil for just about every color of gemstone. It's particularly prized for making diamond jewelry. While setting a diamond in yellow gold may give the diamond a slightly yellow cast, a diamond set in rose gold will shimmer brightly with pink/blue reflections that actually make it appear very clear.

Other gemstones really pop against the unique color of rose gold. Citrines, peridots and canary diamonds that would otherwise just fade into the background of a more traditional yellow gold look fabulous set in rose gold. Sapphires, rubies and emeralds are all complimented by the lovely color.

The finest rose gold jewelry is of 14k gold, which is stronger than the softer 10k gold. Because of the higher gold content in 14k gold, this rose gold will have the popular blush pink shade that most people think of when they hear the phrase rose gold jewelry. If you are looking for a deeper, more reddish version, look for 10k rose gold, which will have more copper but will also be a bit softer and will tend to scratch a bit more.

Whatever your choice when shopping for rose gold jewelry, you're sure to end up with a lovely piece of jewelry that others will admire for its lovely color and unusual style.